NHS delays for hysterectomies and endometriosis treatment are forcing women to pay for private healthcare

Women in Britain are paying up to £11,154 for a hysterectomy in private hospitals due to delays to NHS gynaecological care, according to research by the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists. The Guardian has spoken to three women regarding their experiences of paying privately for gynaecological treatment.

Rachel Bevan, a 33-year-old flood risk management worker from Aberystwyth, began experiencing severe period pains at the age of 16. “I was told I was just someone who has very heavy periods,” says Bevan. She was put on the pill, but when her periods returned after the birth of her son in 2022 the symptoms became worse.